Internal-combustion engine.



A. G. MORETON.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.-

' APPLICATION FILED DEC. 30, 1912. 1,093,944. Patented Apr. 21, 1914,

2 SHEETS-SHBBT 1.

Ficgl.

Witnesses: Inventor,

a lFr-ed B. Moretcm A. G. MORETON.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLIOATQON FILED DEC. 30, 1912.

1,093,944. Patented Apr. 21, 19A

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Fig.2.

Inventor; AlFred 6.Moretor1,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED G. MORETON, 0F ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB T0 GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. I

Patented Apr. 21, 1914..

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that, I, ALFRED G. MORETON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Erie, in the county of Erie, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to internal combustion engines ofthe two-cycle type and in particular to the construction and arrangement of the scavenging air pump and the means for controlling the passage of air to and from the pump cylinder, and has for its object, to improve and simplify the construction of the same.

Briefly stated my invention comprises an engine having a working and a scavenging pump piston combined in a single structure with a slow moving multi-ported ring valve which controls the admission of atmospheric air to the scavenging pump cylinder and the passage of compressed air therefrom to an air receiver, said valve being continuously rotated by means driven by the main shaft. The passage of scavengin air from the receiver to the working cylinder-is controlled by the said working piston.

As a specific embodiment of my invention T have illustrated a crude oil engine having oppositely moving pistons located in the same cylinder, the lower piston being connected to the main crank shaft by a single connecting rod, and the upper piston to said shaft by a pair of side rods. The weight of the combined working and scavenging pump pistons is such that they substantially balance the weight of the upper piston and its side rods.

lln the accompanying drawings which are illustrative of my invention, Figure l is an axial section of a crude oil engine; Fig. 2 is a partial axial section taken at right angles to that of Fig. 1,. Fig. 3 is a crosssection taken on line 8-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the flanged head of the pump cylinder taken on line 4:4: of 1, and Fig. 5 is a detail view of a mod1fication showing screens for preventing foreign matter from entering the pump.

6 indicates the base of the engine which may be of any suitable construction, and 7 the main shaft carried by bearings supported by the base. The upper surface of the base is finished oli true and mounted therein is a cylinder 8 for the scavenging air pump. This cylinder is provided with a horizontal flange 9 that rests on the base and is suitably secured thereto. The upper end of the cylinder is provided with a head containing a plurality of radially disposed ports, 10. These ports perform two functions, they convey air discharged from the cylinder to the air receiver 11, as shown in Fi 1 and also convey free air to the cylindbr as shown in Fig. 2. Formed in" the head and in radial alinement with ports 10 are ports 12 that convey compressed air from the pump cylinder to the air receiver. Located within the cylinder is a piston 13 for compressing the air, which is mechanically united with the working piston 14.

15 indicates a piston in for connecting the pump and working pistons with the connecting rod 15*. As shown the pistons are at the lower end of the downward stroke and are about to compress air and force it into the receiver 11, rom which it is conveyed to the working cylinder for scavenging purposes.

The flanged head of the pump cylinder is turned oft true to form a seat for the ring valve 16. This valve in the present illustration of my invention is provided with two kinds of ports, 17 and 18. My invention is not, however, limited to this specific arrangement. The transfer ports 17 are formed in the underside of the valve and at predetermined times are adapted to con nect the ports 10 and 12 so air can pass from the pump to the receiver. These are best shown in Fig. 1. The ports 18 extend through the valve as best shown in Fig. 2. These through ports receive free air from the inlet and convey it to the cylinder space of the pump on the suction stroke. The valve is held in its central position by a ball bearing 19, which surrounds the lower end of the liner 20 of the working cylinder. The halls are arranged in the same horizontal plane and hence bear on the liner at one point only, there being a clearance between the valve and liner above and below the balls. This arrangement has the advantage that any distortion of the parts, due to heat, will not cause the valve to be cramped. Furthermore, by supporting and guiding the valve in the center it is free to expand and contract radially without causing the parts to bind. Further the valve may be substantially made thereby reducing the tendency to warping due to temperature changes. The weight of the valve also serves to hold it on its seat, the upper 5 surface being free and exposed to the free air in the chamber above it. The valve is further held against its flat seat by a number of spring pressed rollers 21, of which three are shown, Fig, 3. These rollers are mounted in flanged tubular casings 22, Fig. 1, the latter being supported by the working cylinder.

In order to turn the ring valve about the liner 20 as a pivot, worm teeth 23 are cut in its periphery, as best shown in Fig. 2, and meshing therewith is a worm 24 that is mounted on the cam or other shaft 25. The shaft may be driven by any sultable means.

As shown it is provided with a sprocket wheel 26, which is connected by a silent chain 27 to a sprocket mounted on the main shaft. As shown the ratio of gearing between the shafts 7 and 25 is one to one, the engine being of the two cycle type. The speed relation between the shaft 25 and the ring valve in the present instance is eight to one. In other Words, the ring valve turns once for every eight working strokes of the engine. I have found this to be a convenient relation but the ratio can be changed if desired. The valve is shown as having eight through portsand eight transfer ports, but if the speed relation between the shaft 25 and the valve is changed the number of these ports should be correspondingly changed.

Suitably mounted on top of the flanged head of the pump cylinder is a. working cylinder 30 containing the liner 20, the latter being provided with exhaust ports 31 and scavenging ports 32. The exhaust ports communicate with an annular chamber 33 which is connected to the exhaust pipe 34. The scavenging ports communicate with an annular chamber 35, which in turn communicates with passages 36 that openinto the compressed air receiver 11. The upper and lower istons control the .opening and closing 0 the exhaust and scavenging ports. They are so related that the exhaust ports open slightly in advance of the scavenging orts and close slightly before them on t e compression stroke. This engine operates on the constant pressure plan, that is to say, pure air is compressed between the working pistons until its temperature is raised above the igniting temperature of the fuel, crude oil in this case, after which fuel is admitted to the working cylinder by the injector, atomizer or pulverizer 37, under the control of a needle valve 38 in the ordinary manner. Fuel is admitted to the pulverizer by the pipe 39 and compressed air for injecting 65 the fuel by the pipe 40. The upper piston 41 is connected to the main shaft by side rods 42 as shown in Fig. 2. These rods pass through openings 43 formed in the air receiver, said openings having suitable walls to prevent the escaping of air at this point.

In order to suitably guide the movements of the working piston and also the rotary air valve I prefer to extend the liner 20 through the valve into the head of the air pump cylinder, a tight joint being provided between said liner and cylinder head. In this manner I am able to effectively guide the parts and at the same time avoid making special fittings to guide the valve and working piston, and also avoid makingjoints in the liner or in a continuation thereof.

In most cases it will be found desirable to screen the air passing into the pump cylinder to prevent the introduction of impurities. To this end a screen is provided, Fig. 5, comprising a plurality of rather closely associated perforated disks 44 located at the mouth of passage 45 which conveys air to the annular supply chamber 46 directly above the rotary valve 16.

For simplicity I have only shown one working cylinder, but it is to be understood that as many cylinders may be provided as desired and also as many pump cylinders, said cylinders communicating with the air receiver subject to the control of rotary ring valves, one valve being provided for each pump cylinder.

The operation of my invention is as follows: Assuming that the pump piston is at the end of its suction stroke, as it moves upwardly air is forced through the ports.

10 and transfer ports 17 into the air receiver from which it can pass through the passages 36 to the scavenging ports 32 whenever the latter are uncovered by the lower working piston. During the upward movement of the pump piston the ring valve is slowly turning, due to the worm gear drive, so that at or about the end of the discharge stroke the transfer ports will have passed out of register with the ports 10 and 12 in the cylinder head. On the downward stroke of the piston 13 a slight vacuum may be created, just before the through ports 18 move into register with the ports 10. As soon as these ports register, air enters the pump cylinder as shown by the arrows in Fig. 2 and continues to flow into it until at or about the outer end of the stroke, when the driving gear will have moved the ring valve 16 to a position where the ports 10 and 18 are out of register, and the cycle of operation above described is repeated.

By my arranging the parts in the manner described, I am able to make a compact engine, reduce the number of parts and also so arrange the latter that they may readily be machined. By using a large ring valve and providing it with a multiplicity of angularly ciple of operation of my invention, togetherv with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by other means.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a working cylinder, a scavenging pump cylinder, pistons for said 03 1-- inders, an an receiver for the pump, an annular valve seatformed on the head of said pump cylinder and having ports therein, an annular rotary valve having ports cooperating with the first named ports for admitting air to the pump cylinder and conveying compressed air from the pump cylinder to the receiver, means for rotating the valve, and scavenging ports in the working-cylinder which communicate with' the receiver and are controlled by the working piston.

2. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a working cylinder, a scavenging pump cylinder, pistons for said cylinders, an air receiver for the pump, a flat ring valve having inlet ports and also discharge ports, a seat for the valve formed on the head of said pump cylinder and having sets of ports in circular arrangement that are adapted to register with the valve ports means for slowly rotating the valve, an free passages leading from the receiver and terminating in ports in the working cylinder which are controlled by the Working piston. 3. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a base, a receiver supported thereby, working and pump cylinders also supported by the base, pistons therefor which are mechanically united, said working cylinder having scavenging and exhaust ports therein, a ring valve which surrounds one of the cylinders and controls the passage of air to the'pump cylinder and from the pump cylinder to the receiver, means for slowly turning the valve, and passages conveying air from the receiver to said scavenging ports.

I; In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a base, a cylinder supported thereby and terminating at one-end in a flat seat, an air receiver formed between the the axis of the therefor, a receiver,

outer wall of the cylinder andwalls of said base, said flat seat having sets of ports formed therein for supplying air to the cylinder and from the cylinder to said receiver,

"a rotary valve which is provided with sets of-ports adapted to register with the ports insaid seat for controlling the air supply, means for rotating the valve to cause its ports to successively register with those in the seat, a working cylinder which is sup.- ported by the base, and is provided with scavenging ports, a piston therefor control ling the ports, and passages conveying air from the receiverto the scavenging ports.

5. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a base, working and pump cylinders supported thereby, a ported ring 'valve that controls the admission of free air to the pump cylinder, and the passage of compressed air therefrom, areceiver for'the compressed air, a means for guiding the valve and'holding it central with respect to cylinders, means for continuously rotating the valve, and means for conveying air from the receiver to the work ing cylinders.

6. In an internal combustion engine, the, combination of a base, alinedworking and pump cylinders mounted thereon, plstons I a ported ring valve through which one of the cylinders extends and acts as a pivot therefor, said valve controlling the passage of air to the pump cylinder and from the pump cylinder to the receiver, means for rotatlng the valve, and means for holding the valve on its seat.

7 In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a base, a cylinder supported thereby, air ports in the head of said cylinder, a working cylinder, a liner therefor, a ring valve that surrounds the liner, and cooperates with said air ports, gearing for continuously rotating the valve, and pistons for the cylinders.

8. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a base, a cylinder supported thereby, admission and discharge ports formed in the head of said cylinder, a flat faced ring valve which rests on the head and is provided with ports, said ports alterna-' tively registering with the admission and discharge ports, a Working cylinder, a liner therefor which extends through the valve and centers it, means engaging the periphery of the valve for rotating it, an air receiver cooperating with the first named cylinder, and passages leading therefrom to the liner of the working cylinder.

9. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of working and pump cylinders mounted one above the other and in axial alinement, a ring valve located between the cylinders, an air receiver supplied by the pump and situated below the valve and around the pump cylinder, and means coniaa &

necting the receiver-with the working cylinder.

10. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a working cylinder having exhaust and scavenging ports therein, oppositely moving working pistons controlling said ports, a pump cylinder, a piston therefor, a receiver that surrounds the pump cylinder and is provided with openings, a rotary valve situated between the cylinders for controlling the passage of air to the pump cylinder and from such cylinder to the receiver, a main shaft, a connecting rod between the lower working and pump pistons L and the shaft, and a pair of connecting rods between the upper working piston and the shaft that pass through the openings. in the receiver.

11. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of alined working and pump cylinders, pistons therefor, an annular air supply chamber located between the cylinders for supplying the air to the working cylinder, an air receiver, a head for the pump cylinder, ports therein, a flat ported ring valve which rests 'on the head and controls the passage of air to the pump cylinder and from it to theair receiver, and a passage conveying air from the receiver to the annular air supply chamber.

12. In an internal combustion engine the combination of working and pump cylinders, pistons therefor, an air receiver communicating with the pump and workin cylinders, a multi-ported ring valve control ing the admission of air to and from the pump cylinder, a flat ported seat formed on the head of the pump cylinder for the valve, a bearing that centers the valve, aud means for slowly rotating the valve.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 26th day of Dec., 1912.

ALFRED G. MORETON.

Witnesses:

HERMANN LEMP,

J. G. FARRAR. 

